The Stone Mounds of Jimusaer

The Stone Mounds of Jimusaer

The Stone Mounds of Jimusaer

The world mystery wheat-field-circle-shaped large stone burial mounds and deer stones inscribed with records of the mysterious "Heavenly Hunt" phenomenon are located in Dalongkou Village, about 8 kilometers south of Jimusaer County.

The mounds were constructed from a mixture of yellow earth and pebbles of various sizes. Originally 2 meters high, their current remnants range from 0.5 to 1 meter in height, with a diameter of 54 meters. Surrounding the mounds is a stone circle, with the outer ring formed by embedding pebbles about 0.5 meters in size into the ground. To the southwest outside the stone circle, there are also two smaller stone enclosures. These two small enclosures were formed by arranging large pebbles about 1 meter in size on the ground. They are roughly circular, with diameters of 3 meters and 4 meters respectively. According to local residents, there were originally seven such circular stone enclosures surrounding the stone circle. Archaeologists have cleared the stone circles and enclosures around the mounds, but upon slight excavation, only undisturbed natural soil was found, with no other phenomena observed.

The small stone circles outside the main stone circle were likely ritual sites. The large central mound within the stone circle has been fully excavated. The deposits, apart from pebbles and yellow earth, are quite simple. However, at the base of the mound, a deer stone measuring 1.85 meters in length was discovered. The deer stone was found buried approximately 0.5 meters below the surface of the mound fill, lying roughly north-south. The tomb entrance is located slightly northeast of the center of the mound. It is oval in shape, oriented at 270 degrees, measuring 4.6 meters from north to south and 4.0 meters from east to west. There are two-level terraces around it, and at a depth of 1.2 meters, a circular vertical shaft was dug, with a diameter of 1.2 meters and a depth of 1.8 meters. The shaft is filled with sandy soil and small pebbles, and near the bottom, there are traces of decayed wooden sticks arranged in a “well” pattern. No human bones or other artifacts were found.

The deer stone unearthed from the stone mound is 185 centimeters tall, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, with an inclined top. The top is 24 centimeters wide, narrowing to 16 centimeters at the bottom, and 27 centimeters wide on the side. Made of fine sandstone and yellow in color, it is finely worked. Patterns are carved on all four sides as well as on the inclined top surface. The front side features nine small circular pits; the upper part of the back side has three diagonal grooves, between which are three small circular pits, one ibex, and one zigzag symbol. On each side of the deer stone, there is a circle with a diameter of 14 centimeters. Below the left circle, there are two small circular pits, while on the right side, slightly above the middle, there is a slanted groove carved within a recess.

The age of the megalithic mound and the deer stone is estimated to be between 2500 and 2000 years ago. The absence of human bones and any artifacts other than the deer stone within the stone circle and shallow pit suggests that this mound was likely a religious structure, possibly intended to preserve a certain form or shape.